This article is part of an educational series on dissertation writing, which aims to provide guidance on how to write an effective results chapter for your research. Typically, the results chapter follows the methodology chapter and precedes the discussion and/or conclusion. By following these guidelines, students and researchers can ensure that their dissertation results chapter is well-structured and informative.
The result section of a dissertation presents the factual statement of the gathered data from research. Its primary purpose is to present the primary findings of the study to the intended audience. This section aims to show all the information in a logical, organized, and condensed way. In your results, you are allowed to the use illustrations to further explain the results. This section should encompass all relevant data. It is essential to note that this section must not include conclusions or interpretations. Thus, theoretically speaking, this is one of the briefest sections of a dissertation, but it can be one of the most complex sections as well. The results section is vital in providing the foundation for subsequent analyses and conclusions, providing objective and contextual evidence.
1. Results vs. Discussion
When composing a manuscript, it can be common for the results and discussion sections to become intertwined. This may vary depending on the field of study in question. Nevertheless, it is essential to distinguish between the two to enhance the efficiency of your dissertation writing process. The distinction between the Results and Discussion sections is integral to presenting your research findings adequately.
2. Present your findings
This section aims to provide guidance on organizing the results section of a research manuscript in a professional manner. Typically, researchers should start by presenting the most general findings and narrow it down to more specific ones. Depending on the nature of the study, you may need to report both qualitative and quantitative results in an appropriate format. Therefore, different approaches are required to report these two types of research findings. This section will elaborate on the recommended methods of reporting such data in a scientific manner.
2.1 Quantitative result chapter
When conducting quantitative research, it is essential to work with statistical data (such as t-test, SPSS, etc). Often, a vast amount of data is available, and it is crucial to identify the most pertinent information. This determination is typically made during the research process, whether through summaries, presentations, or published papers. It is imperative to keep your research aims, objectives, and hypotheses in mind as results must support them. Additionally, when writing your results, referring back to these factors can help maintain focus and remind readers of the research’s purpose.
It is recommended to focus on the relationship between each result and the problem it addresses, as well as its relevance to the hypothesis. Speculation about meaning and potential consequences is best left to the discussion and conclusion sections. Even if results and discussion are combined in one chapter, separating them will improve the flow and coherence of the writing.
2.1.1 Graphs, charts and tables
It is often helpful to use graphs, charts and tables to display the results. With a proper descriptive title, caption and labels, it can help the reader understand the figure more easily. If you have multiple of these elements through your manuscript, you can consider adding a list of figures and/or tables.
- Figures are used to visualize relationships.
- Tables are used to communicate exact values.
In the text, you should refer to the table or figure. Summarizing or explaining a figure in more detail is fine, rather than restating all the same numbers again. In the example below, you do not have to be a nuclear physicist to understand the paper. Looking at only the descriptive figure and the caption, it becomes clear that there is a difference between the standard model and experimental data of 4.2σ
Keep in mind that not all your readers are as well versed on the topic as you may be. Try to make the figures speak for themselves.
Muon g – 2: A review
Alex Keshavarzi, Kim Siang Khaw and Tamaki Yoshioka
Submited to Nuclear Physics B, January 27, 2022
It exhibits a 3.3σ tension with the value published by the Theory Initiative [38] that will be reviewed in Section 3. After a statistically consistent combination with the fi nal BNL result [18], the new experimental average is α = 116 592 061(41) 10-11 (0:35 ppm), and the tension is increased to 4.2σ, as shown in Figure 2. A new analysis of the data from Run-2 and Run-3 (amounting to 3 times the Run-1 data) is expected to be completed within the next few years. The uncertainty is expected to be roughly half of the Run-1, based on the following improvements achieved.
Figure 2: Comparison between experimental values and theoretical prediction of the muon magnetic anomaly.
2.2 Qualitative result chapter
The difference of qualitative result chapter, is that you present your data primarily in words. However, it is still possible to show charts and tables to present certain trends in your data. While you talk about your analysis findings, try not to add large amounts of raw data in the chapter. Only focus on your key findings, perhaps with a few quotes that support this. Similar as with the quantitative result chapter, focus on what is relevant to your research aims, objectives and hypothesis and use them to decide what is relevant or not.
You can structure your result sections on themes or topics that emerged from your analysis. You can further mention any pattern or trends and focus on recurring points (such as agreements from several interviewees).
Most of your data (full transcripts) will go to the appendix, however, do mention any relevant demographic information about the participants.
Chapter X: Qualitative Results
Section X.X: Reporting Interview Results
In this section, the findings from the interviews conducted with participants will be presented. The interviews aimed to gather in-depth insights into the experiences, perspectives, and opinions of participants regarding [research topic]. A total of [number of participants] participants were interviewed, and their responses were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify common themes and patterns. The following sections provide an overview of the key findings from the interviews:
- Participant Demographics
Table X.X presents the demographic information of the participants who took part in the interviews. This includes their age, gender, educational background, professional experience, and any other relevant information.
- Themes and Sub-Themes
Based on the analysis of the interview transcripts, several themes and sub-themes emerged. These themes represent the main ideas and concepts that participants discussed during the interviews. Each theme is supported by illustrative quotes from the participants to provide a rich understanding of their perspectives.
2.1 Theme 1: [Theme Title]
[Description of the theme and its significance in the context of the research].
Sub-Theme 1.1: [Sub-Theme Title]
[Description of the sub-theme and its relationship to the overarching theme].
Participant Quote 1: “Insert participant quote here, highlighting a specific viewpoint or experience relevant to the sub-theme.”
Participant Quote 2: “Insert participant quote here, providing additional insights or contrasting opinions related to the sub-theme.”
Sub-Theme 1.2: [Sub-Theme Title]
[Description of the sub-theme and its connection to the main theme].
Participant Quote 3: “Insert participant quote here, supporting the sub-theme with a personal experience or perspective.”
Participant Quote 4: “Insert participant quote here, adding depth to the sub-theme by presenting a different viewpoint or example.”
2.2 Theme 2: [Theme Title]
[Description of the theme and its relevance to the research].
Sub-Theme 2.1: [Sub-Theme Title]
[Description of the sub-theme and its relationship to the overarching theme].
Participant Quote 5: “Insert participant quote here, highlighting a specific viewpoint or experience relevant to the sub-theme.”
Participant Quote 6: “Insert participant quote here, providing additional insights or contrasting opinions related to the sub-theme.”
…
- Cross-Case Analysis
To further analyze the interview data, a cross-case analysis was conducted to identify patterns, consistencies, and variations across the participants. The analysis revealed [brief summary of the cross-case findings].
- Summary of Interview Results
In summary, the interviews provided valuable insights into [research topic]. The identified themes and sub-themes shed light on [key findings and implications]. These findings will be discussed in detail in Chapter X, where they will be integrated with the existing literature to address the research objectives and answer the research questions.
Please note that this is a general template for reporting interview results in a qualitative dissertation. You may need to modify and adapt it to suit your specific research context and requirements.
3. Summary and Tips
I have prepared the main points from the text on how to write the result section of your dissertation.
- State only the results, and keep the explanations for Discussions.
- Use figures and tables to highlight trends and visualize relationshps.
- Do not repeat the content of the figures and tables in the text.
- Do not include raw data. This chapter is about summarizing all relevant results. Consider moving the extra data to the Appendix.
- Do not write a discussion or conclusion. This is mainly about summarizing all relevant results.